SGX Market Strategist, Equity & Fixed Income, Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

Geoff Howie

SGX Market Strategist, Equity & Fixed Income

Asia’s leading multi-asset exchange

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

Singapore Exchange is Asia’s leading and trusted market infrastructure, facilitating the exchange of capital and ideas to create value for people, businesses and economies. As a multi-asset exchange operating equity, fixed income and derivatives markets to the highest regulatory standards, SGX is a vertically integrated business that provides listing, trading, clearing, settlement, depository and data services.

With about 40% of listed companies and over 80% of listed bonds originating outside of Singapore as well as established linkages across the region and in Europe, SGX is Asia’s most international and connected exchange. Offering a full suite of derivatives products across Asian equity indices, commodities and currencies, SGX is the world’s most liquid international market for the benchmark equity indices of China, India, Japan and ASEAN.

As Asia’s pioneering central counterparty, SGX is globally recognised for its risk management and clearing capabilities, and was one of the first globally to adopt the Principles for Financial Market Infrastructure.

Headquartered in AAA-rated Singapore, SGX has over 800 employees including offices in Beijing, Chicago, Hong Kong, London, New York, Mumbai, San Francisco, Shanghai and Tokyo.

Equity Bottom-Up

Mapletree Pan Asia Commercial Trust / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>Institutional investors rotated into S-REITs with S$26 million net inflows on April 3 amid market volatility.</li><li>S-REITs ended Q1 2025 with 2.8% total returns, driven by a 5.0% price gain in March.</li><li>Franklin Resources acquired 5.06% interest in Digital Core REIT, buying 969,800 units at US$0.577 each.</li></ul>

Institutional investors rotated into S-REITs with S$26 million net inflows on April 3 amid market volatility.S-REITs ended Q1 2025 with 2.8% total returns, driven by a 5.0% price gain in March.Franklin Resources acquired 5.06% interest in Digital Core REIT, buying 969,800 units at US$0.577 each.

REIT Watch - S-REITs record net institutional inflows in March as sector snaps 5-month losing streak

Sabana Industrial REIT / Equity Bottom-Up

<ul><li>With almost full certainty that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this September (based on CME Fed Watch Tool showing a 100 per cent probability as of Jul 26, 2024), interest rates continue to remain in the spotlight for REITs.</li><li>The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced last week a proposal to simplify the leverage requirements for all Singapore REITs (S-REITs) – it proposes for a single aggregate leverage limit of 50 per cent and a minimum interest coverage ratio (ICR) of 5 times to be applied for all S-REITs.</li><li>Five S-REITs that maintain the lowest gearing ratios are Sasseur REIT (25.2 per cent), Paragon REIT (29.9 per cent), Far East Hospitality Trust (31.5 per cent), AIMS APAC REIT (32.6 per cent), and Frasers Logistics & Commercial Trust (32.7 per cent).</li></ul>

With almost full certainty that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this September (based on CME Fed Watch Tool showing a 100 per cent probability as of Jul 26, 2024), interest rates continue to remain in the spotlight for REITs.The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) announced last week a proposal to simplify the leverage requirements for all Singapore REITs (S-REITs) – it proposes for a single aggregate leverage limit of 50 per cent and a minimum interest coverage ratio (ICR) of 5 times to be applied for all S-REITs.Five S-REITs that maintain the lowest gearing ratios are Sasseur REIT (25.2 per cent), Paragon REIT (29.9 per cent), Far East Hospitality Trust (31.5 per cent), AIMS APAC REIT (32.6 per cent), and Frasers Logistics & Commercial Trust (32.7 per cent).

REIT Watch - Maintaining balance sheet strengths as S-REITs average 39% gearing

<ul><li>CapitaLand Investment (CLI) led the buyback consideration tally, buying back 17,055,700 shares at an average price of S$2.61 per share.</li><li>This brought the percentage of company shares bought back on the current mandate to 0.47 per cent.</li><li>The preceding year’s buyback mandate saw CLI buy back 03 per cent of its issued shares (excluding treasury shares) between Sep 28, 2023, and Jan 26, 2024.</li></ul>

CapitaLand Investment (CLI) led the buyback consideration tally, buying back 17,055,700 shares at an average price of S$2.61 per share.This brought the percentage of company shares bought back on the current mandate to 0.47 per cent.The preceding year’s buyback mandate saw CLI buy back 03 per cent of its issued shares (excluding treasury shares) between Sep 28, 2023, and Jan 26, 2024.

Wilmar, Raffles Medical chairs continue adding to stakes

Alpha-Centric ESG Research

Kyle Rudden

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>New SGX climate-related disclosure requirements based on ISSB's standards are more stringent than current requirements, most notably regarding <em>mandatory</em> Scope 3 emissions reporting.</li><li>The implications for S-REITs are significant. Real Estate is one of the most emissions-intensive sectors, and Scope 3 emissions comprise 85-95% of total emissions for real estate companies.</li><li>Motivated by a strong "business case" for best-in-class climate performance and transparency, many S-REITs are ahead of the curve, evidenced by prominence in climate-related indexes.</li></ul>

New SGX climate-related disclosure requirements based on ISSB's standards are more stringent than current requirements, most notably regarding mandatory Scope 3 emissions reporting.The implications for S-REITs are significant. Real Estate is one of the most emissions-intensive sectors, and Scope 3 emissions comprise 85-95% of total emissions for real estate companies.Motivated by a strong "business case" for best-in-class climate performance and transparency, many S-REITs are ahead of the curve, evidenced by prominence in climate-related indexes.

S-REITs: Climate Disclosures and Inclusion in ESG-Related Equity Indexes

<ul><li>IN THE third quarter of 2023, the Straits Times Index (STI) generated a 2.1 per cent total return, bringing its nine-month total return to 3.3 per cent.</li><li>During the quarter, the STI marginally outpaced the FTSE Asean Extended 60 Index and FTSE Asia Pacific Index, which recorded total returns of 1.1 per cent and declines of 1.1 per cent, respectively.</li><li>On the other side of the “higher-for-longer” Fed funds rate outlook, the iEdge S-Reit Index declined 4.2 per cent in total return in Q3 2023.</li></ul>

IN THE third quarter of 2023, the Straits Times Index (STI) generated a 2.1 per cent total return, bringing its nine-month total return to 3.3 per cent.During the quarter, the STI marginally outpaced the FTSE Asean Extended 60 Index and FTSE Asia Pacific Index, which recorded total returns of 1.1 per cent and declines of 1.1 per cent, respectively.On the other side of the “higher-for-longer” Fed funds rate outlook, the iEdge S-Reit Index declined 4.2 per cent in total return in Q3 2023.

REIT Watch - Three S-Reits buck the trend in September

Singapore

AIMS APAC REIT is a real estate investment trust. The Trust's principal investment objective is owning and investing in a diversified portfolio of income-producing industrial real estate assets throughout Asia Pacific, including warehousing and logistics, manufacturing, business parks and hi-tech spaces.

Price Gauge
52-week Range	0.00 - 0.00
Market Cap (USDm)	0.00
P/E	0.00
Dividend (Yield)	0.00

AIMS APAC REIT (AAREIT SP)

REIT Watch - S-REITs record net institutional inflows in March as sector snaps 5-month losing streak

Institutional investors rotated into S-REITs with S$26 million net inflows on April 3 amid market volatility. S-REITs ended Q1 2025 with 2.8%...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

REIT Watch - Maintaining balance sheet strengths as S-REITs average 39% gearing

With almost full certainty that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this September (based on CME Fed Watch Tool showing a 100 per cent...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

Wilmar, Raffles Medical chairs continue adding to stakes

CapitaLand Investment (CLI) led the buyback consideration tally, buying back 17,055,700 shares at an average price of S$2.61 per share. This...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

REIT Watch - Three S-Reits buck the trend in September

IN THE third quarter of 2023, the Straits Times Index (STI) generated a 2.1 per cent total return, bringing its nine-month total return to 3.3 per...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

Price Gauge

52-week Range

Market Cap (USDm)

P/E

Dividend (Yield)

REIT Watch - S-REITs record net institutional inflows in March as sector snaps 5-month losing streak

Institutional investors rotated into S-REITs with S$26 million net inflows on April 3 amid market volatility. S-REITs ended Q1 2025 with 2.8%...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

REIT Watch - Maintaining balance sheet strengths as S-REITs average 39% gearing

With almost full certainty that the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates this September (based on CME Fed Watch Tool showing a 100 per cent...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

Wilmar, Raffles Medical chairs continue adding to stakes

CapitaLand Investment (CLI) led the buyback consideration tally, buying back 17,055,700 shares at an average price of S$2.61 per share. This...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

S-REITs: Climate Disclosures and Inclusion in ESG-Related Equity Indexes

​New SGX climate-related disclosure requirements based on ISSB's standards are more stringent than current requirements, most notably regarding...

Kyle Rudden

REIT Watch - Three S-Reits buck the trend in September

IN THE third quarter of 2023, the Straits Times Index (STI) generated a 2.1 per cent total return, bringing its nine-month total return to 3.3 per...

Singapore Exchange Ltd (SGX)

New SGX climate-related disclosure requirements based on ISSB's standards are more stringent than current requirements, most notably regarding...